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Stratification and deposition pathways of microplastics in the abyssal sediments of the Philippine Sea

Water Research 2025 1 citation ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 43 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Yutao Fu, Hua Deng, Hua Deng, Hua Deng, Yutao Fu, Yutao Fu, Yutao Fu, Hua Deng, Hua Deng, Yutao Fu, Yinan Deng Yinan Deng Yinan Deng Yutao Fu, Yutao Fu, Hua Deng, Lixue Zhang, Hua Deng, Yutao Fu, Maogen Su, Yinan Deng Hua Deng, Daohua Chen, Hua Deng, Hua Deng, Daohua Chen, Daohua Chen, Daohua Chen, Lixue Zhang, Huiqiang Yao, Lixue Zhang, Yufang Tan, Lixue Zhang, Hua Deng, Yinan Deng Jun Wang, Yinan Deng

Summary

Scientists analyzed sediment cores drilled from the deep Philippine Sea to understand how microplastics sink and accumulate in the ocean's most remote depths. They found microplastics at every layer studied, with concentrations peaking near both the surface and the deepest layers, and discovered that the sediment's chemistry and mineral composition help govern how particles migrate downward. This research reveals that even the abyssal ocean — far from human activity — is accumulating plastic debris, with geological and chemical forces influencing where it ends up.

Polymers

PE PP

Study Type Environmental

Microplastics (MPs) have penetrated even the most remote deep-sea sediments, yet their vertical distribution and depositional pathways remain unclear. This study analyzed sediment cores (0-20 cm) from 11 Philippine Sea stations, finding MPs in all layers with an average abundance of 218.4 ± 303.0 items/kg (dw), and distinct enrichment in both surface (0-5 cm) and deep (15-20 cm) layers. Small fibers (<1 mm), mainly polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE), dominated. MP abundance showed significant positive correlations with sediment redox potential (r = 0.577, p < 0.001), pH (r = 0.476, p = 0.001), and illite-smectite content (r = 0.319, p = 0.017), highlighting the roles of geochemistry and mineral adsorption in vertical migration. Vertical flux calculations and distribution patterns indicate a "rapid settling-surface accumulation-localized redistribution" pathway for MPs, shaped by hydrodynamics and sediment properties. The highest MP flux was observed at station S, influenced by the Kuroshio Current, suggesting strong depositional sinks in current-affected areas. This work provides new insights into the stratification, transport, and fate of MPs in deep-sea environments, emphasizing the deep ocean as a key sink for plastic pollution and informing future ecological risk assessments and management strategies.

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